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Elizabeth Rhue
Elizabeth Rhue
01:15

Elizabeth Rhue

Sonoco

Hartsville, SC USA

"Dream big. Take risks."

Career Roadmap

Elizabeth's work combines: Business, Environment & Nature, and Accomplishing Goals

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Day In The Life

Vice President of Global Sustainability

I drive the sustainability strategy across all product platforms and regions for a global packaging company.

My Day to Day

My work involves managing Sonoco's strategy around global sustainability and environmental compliance, including ensuring our teams are engaged in the right industry groups, customer conversations, and leveraging center resources to support our business strategy. In addition, my team is responsible for tracking industry and policy trends and regulations that could impact Sonoco, and ensuring we are in compliance, where applicable.

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

There are so many paths to a role in sustainability that I can't suggest just one path. Many universities now offer sustainability-specific majors. However, a major in another functional area of interest with a minor or emphasis in sustainability or environmental studies would also make sense, as more and more organizations are hiring people with skills in other functional areas that intersect with sustainability.

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Packaging Science

    Clemson University

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Vice President of Global Sustainability:

Bachelor's Degree: Sustainability Studies

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    I grew up in Georgetown, South Carolina.

  • 2.

    I went to Clemson University and studied packaging science.

  • 3.

    While in school, I gained experience as an engineered packaging design lab intern.

  • 4.

    After graduating, I started my career as an R&D engineer for global product development at Sonoco, a global packaging company.

  • 5.

    After seven years in research and development, I wanted a career change but didn’t want to change companies, so I joined Sonoco’s recycling business and led our Sonoco Sustainable Solutions team.

  • 6.

    I managed that team for about three years and then moved into a marketing role with Sonoco’s flexible packaging division.

  • 7.

    Less than a year later, I got the opportunity to lead our sustainability organization, which is where I’m at now.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Myself:

    How did I get here? Do I belong here?

  • How I responded:

    I don't have a traditional path for my role compared to others in the company, which sometimes causes me to question how I got here. As a Black woman, I'm also often "the only" in a room, which can also feed into that imposter syndrome. In times like these, I just have to remind myself that there's a reason I'm there. I do belong there and there's a reason I'm at the table.

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